In class we are currently focusing on the concept of teamwork. Sometimes it can be difficult to get people to buy into the idea that being able to work with others demonstrating the skills associated with teamwork as a valuable life skill.

We began with “Cooperative Hoops” an easier teamwork challenge to get our brains working and creativity flowing.Every class from the tiniest kindergarten students all the way up to the ‘big kids’ in the 5th grade were able to successfully complete the challenge because of their amazing thinking skills and use of teamwork. Students earned a "High Five" charm for their necklaces because of the awesome teamwork they displayed during this activity.

Then things got a little more intense and interesting for the 3rd, 4th and 5th graders as they attempted to survive the “Titanic Challenge”. Not only did they have to work as a team, but they really had to problem solve and think creatively. Some times their first attempt at solving the challenge was not successful and that was alright. The students learned from their unsuccessful attempt to devise a new and improved plan of attacking the Titanic. In doing so, they were able to rescue every passenger!

If you completed the "Titanic Challenge" what were some of the things you or your classmates did to help you be successful? Can you think of any other times when being a good teammate and using your new teamwork skills might be helpful? Remember you don't have to be playing on a soccer team or football team to use teamwork!!!

We had a very special day at school on Friday, October 26th. All of the students, faculty and staff gathered in our cafeteria to honor Mrs. Hooper during a school wide assembly in which her portrait was unveiled.It was an awesome way to celebrate her many contributions to our students and school.I hope each of you enjoyed the celebration as much as I did.My favorite part was when we all were able to sing We Go for the Gold to Mrs. Hooper.What was your favorite part of the celebration or your favorite memory of Mrs. Hooper?

Wow!It seems like it has been forever since I’ve posted.In fact, this blog has gotten really out of shape!A mentor, good friend and the person that got me so interested in blogging called me to the carpet about my lack of posting.Nothing makes you feel as bad as someone you respect noticing that you’ve fallen off the blogging planet.So now I am determined to get back on the bike and pedal away. (No horses for me.I’d get bucked off!)

I wish I could tell you that I was busy finding a cure for cancer or some other horrible disease, but that unfortunately was not the case.Even though it wasn’t an amazing discovery that kept me away, I was busy creating something exciting dealing with technology.Instead, I was working on the new JHH PE Class Site and teaching, of course.If you get a chance, I would really appreciate it if you could check out the new site and let me know what you think.Maybe you have some suggestions about how I could improve the website.After all, I’m a P.E. teacher and not a website designer!

Welcome back everyone!I hope you had a fun and relaxing summer. Lots of great things have been happening at JHH while you were away.

I think I’ll start with the gym since that is where I live. The walls got a fresh coat of paint, just like the rest of the school. It really makes everything look nice, new and clean. Perhaps the most exciting news of all from the gym is that we now have air conditioning! A wonderful change considering how HOT it has been outside. We will probably still get hot and sweaty when we exercise, but at least it is not soHOT in the gym that we get sweaty as soon as we come in.

Another wonderful thing that happened this summer. Mrs. Hooper was named by Governor Sonny Predue as a "Georgia High Performance Principal". That means that she was one of the top principals in Georgia! All of us at JHH already knew that, but it was really exciting to have Governor Preduce recognize it as well!

Boys and girls you have done it!You’ve slain the not so might CRCT beast!Now that it is over, we can move on to another very important test - the FDFT (Field Day Festivity Test)!Okay, so maybe it isn’t really a test like the CRCT.Field Day does give you the opportunity to show off all those skills you have practiced in P.E. just like the CRCT allows you to show off all the knowledge you have gained during the year.

The best way to ensure that happens is for everyone to be a good sport.If you are not certain what being a good sport means then you should visit this website.Be certain you check out the “10 Ways to Be a Good Sport”.That list will provide you with tons of ways to show that you are a good sport.The website also offers some great advice on how to lose gracefully.Losing can be difficult for everyone, but we need to remember that no one is going to win all of the time.

Share some of your past Field Day experiences with me.How did you handle losing or winning?Were you a good sport?What is the most memorable thing that has happened during Field Day?

And remember this JHH Field Day motto:Winning is optional; having fun is mandatory!

By now you have probably heard the rumors, seen it with your own two eyes or played it with your own two feet. If you do not come to P.E. with the boys and girls of JHH you might be wondering what “it” is.It’s Dance Dance Revolution (DDR)®!

DDR® has officially made a direct hit on our P.E. classes.Having a video game in P.E. class seems like an oxymoron.It would almost be like having chocolate dressing on a fresh green salad.Yuck!

But DDR® is not your normal video game.Instead of those handheld controllers that result in too much time sitting around, DDR® has ignition pads similar to the controllers that are activated by your feet.Students dance along with the music stepping according to the directional arrows that scroll up the screen.

The popularity of DDR® is sweeping the globe and the results have been amazing.Many have reported uplifting and inspiring stories of weight loss that you can check out here.Reports that corroborated those stories resulted in JHH purchasing our very own DDR® station.As I’ve been able to research the Internet about the value of games like DDR® I have discovered that the value of these rhythmic aerobic games goes beyond improved fitness.If you would like to see some of the other benefits you can look here.

Share with me your thoughts about DDR®.Do you enjoy playing DDR®?Is it too difficult or too easy?Do you think it was a good idea to get DDR® for P.E.?Do you think we should get another DDR® station?Do not forget to tell me why.Give me lots of reasons and details to support your opinion.

I knew I could count on the boys and girls at House to let their voices be heard regarding Senate Bill 474. Let me tell you about a few of the comments I really liked. Dylan thinks that "chubby people need to work out". But it goes beyond that. It is important that we all work out. It does not matter if we are old or young, skinny or chubby, short or tall. Rina said, "I feel like I walked over the whole entire solar system". Wow! That is a lot of walking, but it is good for you. Theresa thought that if we had P.E. everyday it "might become boring". Gosh, I don't want that to happen. Then you might stop getting the exercise you need and that would be horrible. Maria summed up my thoughts perfectly, "I'm not really that worried, but I'm still confused". Oh boy am I ever confused! If you want to check out more of what your classmates, teachers and even a high school student had to say about SB 474 go here.

Now as promised, I'll share my opinion with you all. I am CONFUSED! I'd love to see the boys and girls at House more than two times a week, but I DO NOT think you should miss out on classroom instruction or Specials. Your classroom teachers do a wonderful job teaching you all of the material required by the state and so much more. I love admiring your work in the hallways or reading classroom and student blogs. Above all, you need to have art, music and computer lab. You learn so many wonderful things in each of these Specials. They help make you into a well-rounded student. And just to let you know, House has the best art, music and technology teachers I have ever worked with! I think we need to keep Mrs. Anthos, Mrs. Goode and Mrs. Meeler around so they can share their expertise with you. Ask yourself: Do I really want Ms. Roper (Queen of the Stick Figures) teaching me how to draw? Or would "Ms. Can Only Sing Off Key" (Roper) be the person to teach and lead you in musicals? Mrs. Meeler has me beat on the computer. Sure, I can use one and post a blog, but I could NEVER teach the skills she covers with our students.

Laws are created, amended, passed, vetoed and so on across our country all the time. For example, the Teenage and Adult Driver Responsibility Act (TADRA), enacted on July 1, 1997, has strict specifications for obtaining a driving permit and license. This legislation was enacted in an attempted to allow teenage drivers to safely gain driving experience thereby reducing the number of accidents they are involved in. I think we can all agree that it is a good idea to keep our little friends on the kindergarten hall from driving to school every morning!

The Georgia General Assembly is currently considering a bill, Senate Bill 474 (SB 474), that would directly impact you.This bill is known as the “Student Health and Fitness Act”.It would require that each student in elementary school participate in 150 minutes of Physical Education a week, which is the equivalent of 30 minutes a day.This legislation is intended to help prevent childhood obesity.To read SB 474 just go here.I’ve highlighted some of the parts I thought you might find interesting.

As a democratic society, we have the right and obligation to voice our thoughts about these matters.I have contacted members of the Georgia House of Representatives and Georgia Senate to express my opinions, but I’m interested in knowing what you think. Remember that you currently have P.E. two times a week for 45 minutes (or 90 minutes a week). We are 60 minutes below what the legislation proposes. Consider the possibility of having P.E. everyday for 30 minutes. Does that sound good to you?What if having 30 minutes of P.E. a day meant that you would no longer have Art, Music and Computer Lab?Does that change your opinion? Do you think 30 minutes would be enough time to use the pedometers, heart rate monitors and other cool equipment we have? You are all such smart boys and girls that I cannot wait to hear what you have to say.And maybe after you share your ideas with me I will tell you my opinion on the subject!

::UPDATE::

I spoke with a Georgia State Senator on Friday about SB 474. He is a member of the group that wrote and proposed this legislation. In our conversation he assured me that including the additional P.E. time would not result in the elimination of Art, Music or Computer Lab. I thought that was great news and something that you all needed to know!

February is the shortest month of the year, but that doesn’t mean it is not packed full of importance.For instance, February is Black History Month. It has Valentine’s Day, Mrs. Hooper’s birthday, and my parents’ anniversary.But did you realize that February is also recognized as Heart Month?So despite its brevity, February is an important month.

Have you noticed the bulletin board in the upper hall beside Mrs. Collin’s door?If not, you need to stop by and check it out!Ms. McIntosh’s math class prepared some amazing graphs depicting the number of steps taken per month in each of the four 4th grade classes.All of those steps, in addition to the heart shaped facts on the bulletin board, show that they are working hard to make their hearts happy and healthy.

If you want to learn more about your heart just check out the website here.

You can find out lots of cool stuff, like that your heart is a muscle or ways to keep your heart healthy.What are some of your favorite things to do to keep your heart happy and healthy?Let’s take some time to share and brainstorm!

Everyone has experienced aches and pains at one time or another.These PAINS could be an annoying strains or sprainsthat prevent us from participating in activities we enjoy.It could be that you twisted your ankle when you tripped over a mountain of pizza boxes during the relay.Perhaps you pulled your quadriceps muscle because you forgot to warm-up before the big race.Then again, it might be that like me, you have angered your knee by repeatedly bending down.

The manner in which your injury occurred is irrelevant.What matters is that you recognize pain as a warning sign from your body indicating that something is wrong!So STOP what you are doing!If a specific part of your body is hurting, then make every effort to avoid using it and then tell an adult.They will be able to determine what course of action needs to be taken.

R.I.C.E. is a helpful acronym dealing with basic first aide principles for taking care of your strain or sprain.

·Rest in injured body part.

·Ice your injury for 15 minutes.It will decrease swelling and pain.

·Compression using an Ace bandage will also help control swelling and pain.

·Elevate, or raise, the injured body part above your heart.

When I hurt my knee I was not able to do many of the things I enjoy like playing golf, coming to school to teach P.E. or going on a peaceful walk with my dog.My Doctor advised me to follow the R.I.C.E. formula.I really DID NOT enjoy the rest part, but I knew it was a critical component of my recovery.So I did my best to comply with the doctor’s orders.In an effort to avoid becoming bummed,I relied on hobbies that were less active.For instance, I read books and wrote in my journal.

Have you ever experienced a sprain, strain or other injury that sidelined you from your favorite sports or activities?What did you do to help your injury heal?What did you do to pass the time when you couldn’t play?